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100-mile stretch of I-35 opens but conditions still rough

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February 25th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Authorities are reopening both northbound and southbound lanes of Interstate 35 between Ames and the Minnesota border but caution that driving conditions will remain poor. Officials first opened southbound lanes at midday Monday and then opened the northbound lanes at about 5 p.m. A roughly 100-mile stretch of the freeway closed Sunday north of Ames due to heavy snow and whiteout conditions.

The heavy snow Saturday into Sunday reached 15 inches (38.1 centimeters) high at Buffalo Center, with 11 inches at Ventura and 8 inches at Mason City. The cold weather has lingered as well. The National Weather Service issued wind chill advisories for northern Iowa, where it was minus 2 degrees  in Mason City early Monday.